It appears that Rivian has once again delayed the retrofit of the R1T powered tonneau cover. Chris Hilbert on X pointed out that Rivian has updated their support article, which originally stated that R1T owners without the powered tonneau cover would be able to purchase one in 2024. However, the language has now been changed to say that the cover will be available for purchase in 2025 through the Rivian Gear Shop.
Previously, Rivian had been reaching out to R1T owners to replace the problematic v1 powered tonneau cover with the improved v2 version. The v2 was designed to fix issues with the cover breaking during operation. Unfortunately, even some owners who received the v2 reported ongoing problems, with videos showing that it was still difficult to operate and didn’t inspire confidence.
Rumor has it that Rivian is working on a third version (v3) of the powered tonneau cover, which may be why they’ve paused v2 installations as they focus on developing this new iteration.
From the start, the powered tonneau cover for the R1T has been a source of trouble for owners, with frequent reports of it breaking or its panels becoming dislodged. The original version relied on just one motor to control the heavy cover, which likely contributed to its failures.
Maybe the third time will be the charm.